Grant will help train computer science teachers

Tuesday

Nov 20, 2012 at 12:01 AM

TUSCALOOSA | Jeff Gray wants to raise the bar when it comes to teaching technology and computer science in Alabama high schools. With the help of a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, that goal might be realized.

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | Jeff Gray wants to raise the bar when it comes to teaching technology and computer science in Alabama high schools. With the help of a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, that goal might be realized.There were fewer than 100 state high school students who took the computer science advanced placement exam in 2012, said Gray, an associate professor of computer science in the University of Alabama College of Engineering. In comparison, more than 5,000 state students who took the history AP exam.“There's a mismatch between what we're doing to prepare our students and where the actual jobs are,” he said. “We're not raising our own people to take on these jobs.”In an effort to change that, Gray has been working with the College Board, which offers standardized tests used for college admissions, to develop a new Advanced Placement computer science course — Computer Science Principles — that provides a broader look at computer programming and software design, big data, networking and impacts on society. The three-year grant, which begins in January, will train 50 high school teachers across the state to teach the new course, which the College Board could begin offering as an AP course in 2015. Teachers will be supported throughout the year with professional development, stipends, equipment purchases, help from UA students and summer workshops. The grant will also help high school students better understand the course and prepare for the exam through weekend and summer camps. The university is partnering with A+ College Ready, a training and incentive program designed to increase access to college-level content in Alabama schools through recruiting and supporting the teachers and students who participate in the project. “It is important that students have a background in math, but it's just as imperative for them to have skills they can use in life and work, and computer science is key,” said Mary Boehm, A+ College Ready president. “It's a new strand of learning that's not happening the way it should in Alabama. We need kids to catch up and be better prepared for college and the workforce.”Students who take and earn a qualifying score on the AP exam generally receive college credit for the course and they have an opportunity to do “rigorous, college-level work in the supporting environment of high school.”“The standard of learning and accomplishment is set by AP. It's a nationally norm exam and a nationally norm set of standards,” Boehm said. “Studies have shown that students who take AP courses in high school do better in college, both in grades and persistence.”The new course would provide a foundation and focus on subject areas that students might find of interest, like smartphone application development and how those applications affect society. “By teaching students how to write their own apps, it taps into their creativity and shows the impact computer programming can have,” Gray said. “The AP exam is also heavily dominated by male students, so if we can show the value and impact, maybe more women will be interested.”Basic computer science courses generally do not go beyond teaching Microsoft Word, and the current AP course focuses on a computer programming language called Java, so high school students who receive any computer science instruction are usually not fully aware of the career opportunities in this field, Gray said. “Sixty percent of all sciences involve some type of computing,” he said. “Even if students go into a math or science field, they still need some computer science background. This is beneficial to so many students.”

Reach Kim Eaton at kim.eaton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.

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